Muffler



United States Patent C)V 2,954,839 MUFFLER vstephen J. Gabel, 431s w. 13s st., Cleveland, ohio Filed Nov. s, 195s, ser. N0.17z,szo

s claims. (cl. 1s1s6) This invention relates to mufllers and particularly to that type of muffler comprising a plurality of spaced plates between which gases are exhausted radially outwardly;

I have discovered that surprisingly eiective muiliing can be achieved with muliiers of fairly small dimensions without unduly increasing back pressures by using large numbers of flat discs which are spaced from each other minute distances by means of integrally formed bosses located near the peripheries of the discs. The combination of the features of having discs that are flat and spacing washers that are integral with the discs so minimizes the -effect of warping and distortion that mufllers formed of inexpensive sheet metal stampings and the like will function effectively in the field and under a variety of conditions even though the spacing between the discsjmust be very small, say about .003 inch.

vThe invention particularly contemplates a modular assembly in whichja plurality of flat stamplings or plates are provided with bosses which are nested together but which hold their associated discs in minutely spaced relationship due to the interference of the nested bosses with eachother, as more fully set forth below. The

' provision of bosses which are nested together but which interfere with eaeh other in a-limited manner appears to be particularly effective in minimizing the adverse effects of warping `and distortion, so that mufllers formed according to the invention from inexpensive sheet metal stampings and the like will function effectively under a variety of field conditions. For example, a mufiier made according to the invention may be used advantageously as a law mower muler subjected to exhaust temperatures in the order of 900-1000 F. In this respect it is pertinent to note that the above mentioned nested relationship not only defines the desired close spacing but interlocks the closely spaced plates against relative sliding movement.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a muffler made according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a view of the left end of the muffler seen in Figure l.

Figure 3 is a view of the right end of the muffler seen in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a View of one of the plates or discs employed in the illustrated muffler.

Figure 5 is `a side elevation of the disc shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken from the plane of line 6-6 in Figure 3 and showing several adjacent plates forming part of the large number of plates which make up the mufiler assembly. This View is partly broken away to show a portion of some of the spaced plates in cross section.

Shown in Figure 1 is a muler comprising a stacked array of flat discs or plates 10 stamped from sheet metal such as sheet steel or the like. For an application in which the stacked array is approximately 21A inches 2,954,839 Ice Patented Oct. 4, 1960 long and 1% inches in diameter, the `array may cornprise about discs or plates 10, each having a thickness of about .024 inch, the adjacent discs` being spaced apart approximately .003 inch. Each of the discs l10 is provided with an open center 11, the open centers together forming a central passage 12 extending through the stacked array. Provided at each end of the stacked array of discs 10 is a capping member. The capping member 13 comprises merely a closure for one end of the array. The other capping member 14 also comprises a closure and furthermore is provided with a port means, such as a threaded connection 15, which communicates with the pipe, manifold orA other line (not shown) through which the gas to be muffled is received. Bolts, rivets or other similar means extend through the array of discs 10 between the capping members 13 and 14 and are tensioned to clamp the array together. In the particular apparatus illustrated, these tensioning members comprise rivets 18, only the heads of which are visible in the drawings, the stem of the rivet which would ordinarily .be visible in Figure 6 having been eliminated for purwhich displacement may be accomplished by a stampingoperation. These indents have a convex face 21 and a concave face 22 (Figure 6), the indents of adjacent plates being nested with each other as most clearly seen in Figure 6. In the illustrated apparatus, six rows of nested indents are angularly spaced around the extent of the muiler assembly. The indents are nested with the convex faces 21 of thev indents received against the concave faces 22 of adjacent indents. The convex faces are wider than the concave faces, as most clearly illustrated in Figure 6, where it may be seen that in the specific cross section illustrated, the `convex faces extend between the points A while the concave faces extend only between the points B. It lpresently appears preferable that the indents be circular in which case the width of the faces would be the same in any cross section. The greater width of the convex -faces as compared to the concave :faces results in a degree of interference between the nested indents that causes their associated plates 10 to be held apart in their closely spaced relationship, as illustrated in Figure 6. Also, the nested indents anchor their -associated plates or discs 10 against relative sliding motion which may tend to occur because of warping, distortion and the like due to heat or other field conditions.

Alternate rows of the nested indents are provided with central openings 25 to accommodate the stems of the rivets 18.

The structural relationship contemplated by the invention and disclosed above provides a muffler which may be very inexpensively manufactured and which compares favorably in operating characteristics and capacities with mufllers of the prior art. The particular structural features contemplated by the invention make possible the provision of large numbers of minutely spaced discs which will maintain the desired spaced relationship under field conditions and which at the same time can be very inexpensively assembled as a modular structure.

The above description of the invention should make it apparent that many details of the apparatus embodying the invention may be varied without departing from the teaching of the invention. For example, the openings 1'1 need not be circular and they may be replaced by two or more openings, so long as the openings are located radially inwardly `from the sides of the discs or plates 10, and so long as the openings in neighboring plates register with each other to form passage means equivalent to the passage 12. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not to be limited to precise details of the speciiically described embodiments but is to be dened by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A muliler comprising a plurality of at plates in stacked array, said plates each having at least one radially inwardly located opening, said openings registering to form passage means extending through the stacked array, a capping member at each end of the stacked array, tensioned means extending through the array between the capping members to clamp the array together, port means on at least one of said capping members for communication with a line through which the gas to be muiied is received, the fiat plates having integral bosses formed therein and holding the plates in closely spaced relationship, the bosses comprising indents integrally formed in the plates, the indents having a concave face and a convex face, the indents of adjacent plates being nested with each other in angularly spaced rows with the convex faces of the indents received against the concave faces of adjacent indents, the convex faces being Wider than the concave faces to establish a degree of interference between the nested indents whereby the bosses hold their associated plates in said closely spaced relationship and anchor their associated plates against relative sliding motion `due to warping, distortion and the like.

2. A muffler comprising a plurality of at plates in stacked array, said plates each having at least one radially inwardly located opening, said openings registering to form passage means extending through the stacked array, a capping member at each end of the stacked array, tensioned means extending through the array between the capping members to clamp the array together, port means on at least one of said capping members for communication with a line through which the gas to be mufed is received, the at plates having integral bosses 4 formed therein and holding the plates in closely spaced relationship, the bosses comprising indents integrally formed in the plates, the indents having a concave .face and a convex face, the indents of adjacent plates being nested with each other in angularly spaced rows with the convex faces of the indents received against the concave faces of adjacent indents, the convex faces being wider than the concave faces to establish a degree of interference between the nested indents, said tensioned means comprising fastener stems extending through the centers of at least some of said angularly spaced rows. 3. A muffler comprising a plurality of at plates in stacked array, said plates each having at least one radially inwardly located opening, said openings registering to form passage means extending through the stacked array, a capping member at each end of the stacked array, said array of liat plates and said capping members being iixed together in assembled relationship, port means on at least one of said capping members for communication with a line through which the gas to be muffled is received, the fiat plates having integral bosses formed therein and holding the plates in closely spaced relationship, the bosses comprising indents integrally formed in the plates, the indents having a concave face and a convex face, the indents of adjacent plates being nested with each other in `angularly spaced rows with the convex faces of the indents received against the concave faces of adjacent indents, the convex faces being wider than the concave faces to establish a degree of interference between the nested indents whereby the bosses hold their associated plates in said closely spaced relationship and anchor their associated plates against relative sliding motion due to warping, distortion and the like.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 723,111 Winton Mar. 17, 1903 855,913 Webster June 4, 1907 1,032,794 Wolf July 16, 1912 1,059,910 Russell et al. Apr. 22, 19'13 1,070,600 Haugen Aug. 19, 1913 1,366,632 Carlen Jan. 25, 1921 1,800,977 Anschicks Apr. 14, 1931 2,397,556 Magill Apr. 2, 1946 

